The Day I Found You
by ScarletRedfox
Summary: Cloud reflects on the time he first found Denzel outside the church and the time following after Cloud took him home. Nobody knew what the future had in store for them and with the threat closing in, he didn't know if they were all going to make it out okay. Especially when Denzel contracted Geostigma, Cloud held little hope for the boy and his days were- Full Summary inside! :)
1. Chapter 1

**The Day I Found You**

 **Summary:** Cloud reflects on the time he first found Denzel outside the church and the time following after Cloud took him home. Nobody knew what the future had in store for them and with the threat closing in, he didn't know if they were all going to make it out okay. Especially when Denzel contracted Geostigma, Cloud held little hope for the boy and his days were numbered, but thanks to Tifa, Cloud may have developed feelings his heart tried so hard to deny toward the boy, toward their family...

 **A/N:** Hello dear readers! :) This little piece was sitting on my computer for far too long (a few years back) and I've finally decided to upload it! I've polished it a bit, but it's still largely the same like I've written it a few years ago!

 ** _Plot:_** Like the summary suggests, this story will be centered around the time Cloud found Denzel as well as following weeks and months of living together with the family (well my take on it), what Cloud initially thought of him, how Tifa and Marlene adapt to the situation and of course how poor little Denzel copes with everything!

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot, Square Enix (Soft) owns FF7 and all and any works connected to it!_**

 ** _Enjoy! ^^_**

* * *

 **Lost and Found**

 _„_ _You're a real handful,"_ Reno's irritated voice just barely registered to Cloud's ears as the door slammed shut and he was left alone in Marlene and Denzel's room, alone to his thoughts.

He looked over his shoulder at Tifa, then he noticed the pictures on the small night desk in between the two beds. It showed them, their family.

Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, him...and suddenly, he was reminded of an old but fond memory...

It was the time he found Denzel, ill with Geostigma, collapsed just outside the church...

 _Flashback_

"Tifa said to take you home, kid," Cloud carefully settled the young child on top of Fenrir, making sure he was sitting right before he carefully mounted his bike and started the engine, the low growling of Fenrir sending a wave of nostalgia over him as he grabbed the steering bars.

"Grab on," Cloud had thought the kid would grab onto him or Fenrir and they would be off to Seventh Heaven, but he only felt how the boy collapsed on his back.

Cloud paused and turned his head, noting the boy's exhausted state, the black ooze gathering at his forehead and the lack of response to his command.

Slowly, Cloud reached behind himself to grab at the boys hand and guide it to his front, pressing it gently against his abdomen and holding it there while he drove Fenrir one handed, however before he could start driving he felt something shaking.

It was the boy, his hand was shaking so hard and it felt clammy and cold. In an act meant to soothe the boy's fears, Cloud gently but firmly wrapped his hand around the small, shaking fist and squeezed gently.

Cloud waited with baited breath, not starting to drive until the boy's shivers stopped. Sure enough, after short minutes, the shivering ceased and Cloud felt the boy lean his head against his back, he passed out.

With another securer grip around the boy, Cloud slowly began driving, not willing to risk endangering the boy behind him by driving too fast. Tifa was sure to have prepared something for their guest by the time they arrived.

"Cloud!" Marlene exclaimed in happiness, until she saw what Cloud was carrying in his arms.

It was an unconscious boy.

"Tifa," with a nod to the barmaid, Tifa motioned for Cloud to follow her upstairs into her room, gently setting the boy down on her soft bed.

"Is he alright?" Tifa's concerned voice cut through his thoughts as Cloud adjusted the boy's legs so he was comfortable.

Cloud shook his head, "I don't know, he...collapsed," he scanned him from head to toe, then noticed something on his forehead, well concealed by his messy bangs but his keen mako eyes still caught sight of something black beneath the tresses.

Gently, Cloud pushed the locks of messy hair aside and his gaze narrowed when he realized what it was. Tifa gasped from beside him, steering Marlene away when the curious girl asked what was wrong.

When Tifa returned again without Marlene, she quietly asked, "...Is this what I think it is?" Cloud gave no verbal answer, but he didn't need to.

Both adults watched with rapt attention how the thick, black ooze gathered at his forehead and slowly trickled down the side of the boy's face.

Cloud didn't even notice when Tifa even left the room, only when she returned with a small bowl filled with water and a wash cloth. Cloud was transfixed as he watched Tifa kneel beside the bed and gently dab at the black liquid at the boy's forehead, submerging the stained cloth in the bowl to wash away what she gathered from the liquid.

"He's ill," Tifa's soft voice rang in his ears and Cloud forced himself to look away, "I'll have to make him something to eat once he wakes up, poor boy is far too thin for his age," Cloud looked up in surprise, watching Tifa clean the boy.

"What?" Cloud's tone betrayed his emotions of surprise, "You're not thinking of keeping him here? With us?" at Tifa's sudden silence, Cloud started, "You know we can't do that-"

Tifa cut him off, not looking at him and not pausing from cleaning the boy's Geostigma, "And why not?" her tone was soft but Cloud sensed her stubbornness in the matter, "Why can't we keep him Cloud? We took in Marlene too when Barret left on his journey, didn't we?" this time, she met his gaze and Cloud marveled at the intensity in her red eyes as she stared him down.

Cloud looked away, "That's different-" again, she cut him off.

"Exactly _why_ is this different, Cloud? Because he has Geostigma?" her voice was soft but her words had a unmistakable edge to it, challenging him to deny the fact that she was right.

 _Yes_.

But the word never left his mouth, he opted to stare at the floor, away from Tifa's burning gaze and knowing eyes.

There was a heavy sigh and the sound of the bowl being placed on the night desk beside the bed as Tifa stood up, "He is still a child," her voice was strong, resolute.

Cloud added quietly, "He has the Stigma,"

"But he is still just a _child_ Cloud! You said you found him collapsed outside the church, right? His parents must have died when Sector 7 was destroyed, he doesn't have anyone to look after him and he has no home to return to Cloud." Her words reawakened something within him, something he swore he wouldn't recall so soon, a sense of nostalgia, of guilt.

The blond ex-SOLDIER met her stare, "We don't have the necessary accommodations for him, Tifa,"

The pugilist crossed her arms, "That's not a problem, we will just buy another bed for him and he and Marlene will share a room,"

"We don't know if we can afford to feed another stomach,"

Her gaze hardened with resolve, "The Delivery Service is going well and the bar is doing the best it possibly can since years, Cloud. Our savings are plenty as well," his own gaze narrowed.

He fought to find reasons, "You know what they say about the Stigma," his lips tightened into a line and he clenched his fists.

Tifa sighed, "I know, Cloud...but would you rather want him to die alone in some deserted alley or let him enjoy of what time he has left with people that care for him?" her words struck a chord and Cloud turned away from her.

"Let's wait until he wakes up," with that, Cloud left the room and closed the door behind him quietly.

Tifa was left alone with her thoughts and the unconscious boy in her room and she turned around to look at him again.

She couldn't really explain it, but something compelled her to save the boy, to give him a second chance. When she first glanced at him, she couldn't deny she saw Cloud in him. The little lost boy who was misunderstood and left to himself because he was different.

Tifa knew Cloud must have seen something similar, she may have told him to bring the boy here, but she knew, even without her words that he would have done it, not because it had been a child that collapsed near his bike, but because he saw a bit of himself in the little boy.

She also couldn't deny the fact that he somewhat resembled Cloud, if his hair were spikier and a lighter shade and he had blue eyes, it would be like a miniature Cloud.

Tifa smiled softly, gently brushing the messy hair aside on his forehead and placed the cool cloth on the skin, pulling the covers over his small body up to his chin. The boy squirmed for a moment, before uneasily relaxing against the soft mattress.

Tifa quietly closed the door behind her and was met with Marlene's concerned face as the little girl stood in the middle of the hallway, looking past Tifa at the door, "Will he be alright, Tifa?" she looked up at the adult.

The barmaid smiled and crouched down to be at eye level with the little girl, smiling softly, "Of course he will, what do you say we go in the kitchen and you help me cook something for our guest hm? He will surely have a appetite once he wakes up," Tifa winked at her, smiling.

Marlene's face brightened and she nodded enthusiastically, "Mhm! I'll go cut the vegetables for the soup!" Marlene was already running ahead and down stairs.

Tifa chuckled and straightened, calling after her, "Be careful with the knife!" she shook her head, resting her hands on her hips.

The door to Cloud's room was ajar and Tifa couldn't help but see what he was doing as she slowly approached it, being sure not to step on any noisy planks despite already knowing Cloud must have heard her coming thanks to his enhanced senses.

She softly knocked on the door, "Knock, knock, anyone home?" Tifa poked her head in and surprisingly saw Cloud there, sitting on his bed and wrapping a bandage around his left arm, the arm where the iconic red ribbon reminiscent of Aerith was usually wrapped in.

"Did you get hurt?" Tifa's attention shifted to the partly messily bandaged limb, down to the scissors and small bandages on the bed.

Cloud tensed, "It's nothing," his reply was curt and short.

"Let me see," Tifa attempted to move closer and inspect his wound but Cloud turned his head to look at her and that made her stop.

"It's alright," Cloud stood up, clutching at the bandaged arm and worry shot through her at the thought he must be in great pain if he clutched at it so protectively.

Cloud turned around and refastened his shoulder armor and the sleeve to it, covering the entirety of Aerith's ribbon and the bandage beneath it.

"I have a delivery to make," Cloud nodded at her and moved past Tifa, she heard his footsteps descend the stairs and how he greeted Marlene on his way out, telling her to be safe and to not wait for him in the evening how she often did.

The sound of Fenrir coming to life and driving out of the garage prompted Tifa to investigate the bandages Cloud had left on his bed. Most were clean, but a few of them had black splotches and Tifa was instantly reminded of the black liquid covering the boy.

" _Geostigma?_ " her thoughts were interrupted by her own giggle, " _Of course, Cloud was the one who brought him here, some of it must have landed on him..."_ still...where did he get injured? She hadn't seen any discomfort on him when he first entered the bar with the boy in his arms.

Tifa shook her head, grabbing the scissors and bandage roll and storing them in the small medical kit in the top drawer she knew Cloud to hoard, after all, one could never had too many first aid kits.

After that was done, Tifa went downstairs to help Marlene make supper for their guest and for themselves.

Cutting the leftover vegetables and meat Marlene hadn't yet, Tifa set a pot with water boiling as she seasoned the meat and waited until the water was hot to first put the meat in and then after the meat had gained a bit of color, the vegetables.

She stirred the stew carefully, adding in seasonings and a bit of the delicious soup powder Yuffie had brought her once from Wutai. She remembered how they talked about what else she needed for the bar and Yuffie had loudly voiced her complaints about Tifa not having an assortment of spices in her cabinet aside from salt and pepper.

The barmaid had tried to explain that seasonings and spices were sparse in Edge, considering the condition most of the populace is in, but Yuffie had waved off her concerns and three days later, Tifa had a small box outside her doorstep containing all sorts of spices Tifa hadn't seen since her childhood, ranging from mild spices to the hardcore spices Wutai was known for – Tifa only used those for when she had patrons with a tough stomach or of Wutaian descent.

Or at times, Cloud, who had mako infused in him which sped up his metabolism far faster than the average. Sometimes, she marveled at how she could mix him one of the strongest drinks that would make even Barret and Cid swoon and he would down it all without batting an eyelash. One had to wonder about what else mako does to the body.

As Tifa waited patiently for the broth to finish cooking, she spied Marlene sitting at the bar counter, drawing something with an assortment of colors.

Tifa leaned against the counter and quietly watched her, recognizing the sticky figure with long brown hair, red eyes and dark outfit. She recognized the braided pony tail with the pink hair ribbon and the dress, she recognized a figure she thought Marlene had no knowledge of until now, bearing dark spiky hair, a large sword strapped to his back and what appeared to be dark clothing or uniform, with blue eyes.

And lastly, she recognized the figure with a large sword, a black outfit, the head of a wolf drawn clumsily on the side of his vest...

And the unruly spiky blonde hair.

* * *

"Nghh..." the small hand that shakily moved up to touch his forehead promptly retracted when he noticed something damp and cool covering it.

He shot up, sweat covering his small body as the damp cloth fell on his lap, covered with a warm blanket.

He was in a bed, in a room he never saw before, he looked left and right, seeing some things that would belong to a woman. Where...where was he?

His head pulsed in pain and he clutched at it, gritting his teeth together.

"What...happened...?" the boy looked all around but he couldn't remember how he got here. He remembered collapsing suddenly, pain wracking his skull and shooting through him like a blade.

He remembered that old church...a cool motorcycle he stumbled upon...he also remembered trying to call his home in Sector 7 but...

A dark look crossed his face as he remembered what happened...he _had_ no home...his parents were gone...he furiously rubbed at his eyes as he felt the little tears beginning to form and shakily stood up from the bed, trying to gather his bearings and make the world stop spinning.

Slowly, cautiously, he advanced toward the door, slowly opening it to find a semi-lit hallway, the light coming from a room opposite of the one he was currently in and a flight of stairs that led down.

He slowly walked toward the door that was ajar, light peeking through it as he opened it just a bit wider. When he found the room to be empty, he opened it wider.

There was a desk filled with papers, family photos, a simple bed was also there, in one corner was a dark punching bag and some containers which appeared to be oil of some sort.

A pleasant smell suddenly drifted into the room and he found his stomach growling loudly, he couldn't even remember when was the last time he ate something aside from the few scraps he gathered from that junkyard...

With hesitant steps, he slowly made his way down the stairs, finding purchase against the wall as the sounds of voices grew louder and the smell stronger.

"Don't worry I'm sure he will be fine once he wakes up and eats something," a soft female voice sounded just before he reached the last step.

"But Tifa you said Cloud found him outside the church, right? What was he doing at the church?" another younger voice asked the older one this time. He rose an eyebrow, a mother and child? Where was he? In a family home?

The woman, whom the little girl called 'Tifa' answered her, "I don't know, sweetie, I don't know,"

A floorboard squeaked and the boy shied back in fright, "Wait, I heard something! Did Cloud enter through the back?" came the voice of the little girl as light footsteps drew closer.

"But I didn't hear Fenrir outside-" Tifa rounded the corner and saw the boy there at the steps, looking lost and entirely too uncomfortable, "Oh, hello there," Tifa gave him a soft, warm smile, bending down to look at the boy directly in the eye, "Had a nice nap?" she winked at him playfully.

The boy blinked, dumbstruck, he looked nervously at the woman with the soft voice and next to her stood a little girl with bands covering her forehead and a curious but sweet smile, "Hi there! I'm Marlene!" she waved at him happily, "Are you alright?" she looked at him in concern upon noticing his dazed state.

"I..." he looked nervously at the adult woman, before swallowing, "Y-yeah..." he looked back at 'Tifa', "What...what happened?"

Tifa smiled softly and held her hand out towards him, "Let's talk about it over a nice, warm meal hm?" the boy looked at her hand, unsure, before he slowly placed his smaller one within her own. Her hand was warm as she squeezed his smaller one and led him around the corner towards where the bar was. He looked all around, it looked like a typical bar but he could see a door which he assumed was leading to the kitchen.

He was proven right when Tifa opened the door and a delicious smell washed over his senses, prompting his stomach to make its intentions known with loud growls. He quickly covered his stomach, embarrassment filling him as he looked at Tifa's amused expression.

"You must be hungry, huh? Come on, eat a little then we can talk," she gestured toward the chair next to a table filled with food, food he remembered his mother used to make too, among other things.

Hesitantly, he looked at the little girl beside him, who nodded encouragingly and smiled brightly. He swallowed, taking a seat and watching how Tifa set a plate for him and nodded toward the food, "Knock yourself out, I've made a lot," she grinned.

He nodded mutely, before finally finding his voice and forcing himself to speak, "Thank you..." if Tifa was surprised that he finally spoke, she didn't show it, her smile only brightening and directing her attention towards the sink where dirty dishes still waited for her.

She gestured for Marlene to eat too and the little girl only happily complied, filling her plate and eating with a big grin on her face. Silence stretched over the small kitchen until Marlene broke it with a bright, joyous, "Tifa always cooks the best food in Edge!"

The woman in question turned her head and chuckled, "Oh you little rascal," she turned toward the sitting boy, "It's not quite like that, 'the best' may be stretching it a little," she winked, laughing to herself.

Marlene shook her head, leaning in slightly and cupping a hand over her mouth, whispering to the boy opposite of her, "She's just being shy," the boy nodded mutely, realizing how carefree they were.

He looked at the fourth, unoccupied chair and wondered where that man was that had brought him here. He remembered the male voice asking if he was okay, he remembered strong arms picking him up and setting him on his motorcycle and he remembered the gloved hand that squeezed his shaking one tightly, as if to reassure his anxieties.

"So, from where are you? What's your name?" Marlene asked excitedly, big brown eyes shining bright in excitement and barely sated curiosity, "How old are you? You look the same age as me..or maybe just a bit older," she rubbed her chin in thought.

Tifa's voice interrupted the girls musings, "Marlene, let him eat in peace and if he feels like talking he'll tell us everything, okay?" her voice was gentle but firm, prompting the girl to look slightly guilty for overwhelming him with questions.

"Right! I'm sorry...uhm..." she looked a bit uncomfortable and that made him sad.

"D-Denzel..." he muttered, wishing he could say more to make her feel better.

"Denzel huh?" Tifa approached him and rested a hand on the chair behind him, smiling, "Nice to meet you Denzel, I'm Tifa, I own this bar," she smiled, gently sweeping away the wild strands partially obscuring his eyes.

Denzel remained still as she did so, mildly afraid she would have hit him, but he shook his head at the irrational fear. He only nodded at her introduction, taking a slow bite out of the vegetables she cooked.

They were delicious.

 **A penny for your thoughts? Reviews are what keep me alive! Thank you for reading! :)**


	2. The Man with the Blue Eyes

**A/N:** Hello everyone! I'm so sorry about the delayed update, I would have updated much sooner had I organized my other stories and RL stress better .

 **ANSWERS TO REVIEWS:  
faunalind: **Thanks buddy :)

 **Guest:** Thank you very much for the sweet compliments! :3

 **Summary:** Cloud reflects on the time he first found Denzel outside the church and the time following after Cloud took him home. Nobody knew what the future had in store for them and with the threat closing in, he didn't know if they were all going to make it out okay. Especially when Denzel contracted Geostigma, Cloud held little hope for the boy and his days were numbered, but thanks to Tifa, Cloud may have developed feelings his heart tried so hard to deny toward the boy, toward their family...

 **The Man with the Blue Eyes**

Tifa observed how the quiet boy she now knew as Denzel stared at his glass, filled with juice he had yet to drink. Ice clanked occasionally from within the glass and the boy followed their movements with his eyes, seemingly entrapped by them but Tifa knew better.

From what Cloud had told her, he found the boy collapsed outside of the church, the black liquid oozing from his forehead and Cloud's phone next to the boy's collapsed body.

He had been trying to call an unknown number on Cloud's phone and when the delivery man dialed it again, he found out it had been a number located where Sector 7 used to be.

It didn't take a genius to guess who the boy had been trying to call, his parents must have lost their lives during the collapse of Sector 7 and Tifa's heart clenched painfully at the thought of what the young boy must have endured thus far all alone on the barren streets of Edge, wandering through the ruins of what was once Midgar.

Tifa smiled, leaning her elbows against the polished counter as she watched the young boy barely older than Marlene lost in thought, in his own memories, not strangely, he reminded her of someone, "Do you want a different kind of juice?" she smiled reassuringly when the boy jumped, startled out of his thoughts at hearing Tifa's soft voice.

Quickly, he shook his head and to Tifa's amusement, he appeared to be thinking on what to say next, his words were rather quiet and hesitant, "No...thank you," she watched how he slowly drank a few gulps of the sweet liquid before setting the glass down again, a faraway, sad look in his eyes, a look Tifa never wanted to have to see in children as young as them.

"Um...where is that man?" Tifa was surprised Denzel decided to speak and even more when he asked about Cloud.

"Oh, you mean Cloud? He's out on deliveries, he runs a delivery business," she offered with a kind smile, noticing the boy's eyes discreetly survey the area around him.

"Oh..." he sounded disappointed and Tifa wondered why.

"But he will come back this evening, he usually comes back at about six or seven." She paused, letting the boy absorb the words. She badly wanted to know about Denzel, about his past, what made him so quiet and withdrawn but she held her tongue. She would wait until he was ready to talk, ready to trust them.

And suddenly, Cloud's words rang in her ears...

 _He has the Stigma..._

Tifa snorted, shaking her head as she threw the kitchen rag on her shoulder, _"I won't give up Strife, that much you know,_ " her mind was filled with determination. There was no way she would give up the fight, Cloud could be stubborn, but Tifa Lockhart was worse.

No matter what he said, it was settled.

She would take Denzel in.

* * *

"Ah, thanks Cloud!" the young man of not even twenty years of age, a broad grin on his face, "I would have taken forever for the other delivery services to finally bring me my package," he retrieved his wallet from the back of his pants pocket, "Here Cloud, I know it's not easy working for so long with a family and all,"

Cloud stared at the money in the younger man's hands and shook his head, "No, thanks, I'm just doing my job," he nodded but the man only held the money out to him.

"Come on Cloud, you never take any extra cash I offer you, just this one time please!" he perked up suddenly as he remembered something, "Besides, gotta have something extra, I heard you adopted another kid," he grinned but Cloud didn't.

Frozen on Fenrir, Cloud wondered how many people saw him bring Denzel in or if they suspected the condition he had been in, "Who told you that?" he was careful to mask his emotions, lifting a fair brow questioningly.

The man smiled, "Oh, uh my neighbor did. She said one of her friends who lived around the area where Seventh Heaven is, saw a little boy with Tifa in the bar, it didn't look like he was a customer at least," he chuckled, still holding out the money with a imploring look.

Reluctantly, Cloud accepted the wad of extra Gil, storing it in his wallet and when he opened it, his gaze briefly flicked over the picture he had secretly made a copy of, it was a picture of Marlene and Tifa.

Shaking his head, Cloud pocketed his wallet, thanked his client and rode off to his next delivery in Kalm.

His phone rang briefly, another voicemail from Tifa.

Slowing to a stop, Cloud flipped his phone open, pressing the 'open' button to listen to Tifa's message, thinking it was another delivery.

 _Cloud, the boy is awake, his name is Denzel, he just ate breakfast and he seems to be okay now. He asked for you. I told him you would come at around seven, if something changes just call. Be careful._

Denzel, huh? Cloud looked at his phone again, before slowly pocketing it and staring straight ahead at the sandy terrain, shapes of dark towers and buildings looking blurry and small in the distance.

He revved up the engine again, driving just a bit faster, the package stored in Fenrir's compartment rattling slightly.

He didn't know why he suddenly had a sense of urgency dictate his movements, but he couldn't wait to finish up and return home.

He tried to tell himself it was not to check up on the boy.

* * *

Denzel watched how the people entered and left the bar, it was afternoon now, the morning rush was gone and he felt like he could think clearer without the commotion of people rushing in and out.

The bar seemed quieter, more peaceful and Denzel took the opportunity to wander to the front of the bar, without risking bumping into the customers now that things have quieted down.

He didn't notice the woman walking after him slowly, a good distance away, calm, curious eyes trailing after him as he walked up to the pictures lining the wall after his initial inspection of the liquors in the bar and the stools.

They were family photos and Denzel's heart gave a sharp tug, an image of his parents resurfacing in his mind and Denzel's hand automatically migrated to his pant's pocket, shoulders slumping in relief when his fingers found the tattered edges of the last thing he still had of his parents: their photo.

His eyes focused back on the pictures on the wall.

He recognized Tifa and Marlene on almost all of them, some of them had unknown people on them he had never seen before and he thought they were most likely friends from the adults. A large, dark-skinned man was standing next to Marlene in one photo, large smiles on both their faces.

Another one showed Tifa with a smile on her face standing in front of the bar, "Seventh Heaven" as he read the title on the photo, along with the dark-skinned man, Marlene and three more people. That must have been when they first opened the bar. Denzel wondered where the other people were and just how many years it passed since they opened the bar.

His eyes zeroed in on Tifa and Marlene, but in the background, he could see the man, Cloud. His stance seemed off and he was looking away from the camera, while both Tifa and Marlene were smiling. Denzel found that odd. Shouldn't a family photo be happy? Why was the man not happy? Why did Cloud look…sad?

A rustle of fabric made him jump when he looked to his right and found the familiar-looking black skirt and shorts the woman wore, now standing in front of him with a hand resting on her waist.

He looked up at her, catching a longing look in her eye before she turned her head to look down at him and smile. Denzel suddenly felt guilty, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare,"

Surprise flickered across Tifa's features and she kneeled down to be at eye-level with Denzel, "Hey, that's okay, I wasn't mad at you for looking, you can look at the pictures all you want," she giggled, gently patting the boy's scrawny shoulder, "You can also ask questions if you have any." At the doubt that filled his eyes, Tifa smiled encouragingly, "Don't worry, it's okay,"

There was a long moment of silence before Denzel gathered the courage to speak, "How comes um, Cloud isn't there on some pictures?" he wasn't sure if the question was too personal, but he was curious to know.

Tifa's face softened as old memories resurfaced, "Because we found Cloud only after we opened up this bar, that's why he isn't on some of the pictures,"

Confusion crashed into Denzel like waves and more questions popped up in his mind but he was hesitant to ask until an encouraging nod from Tifa finally spurred him on, "What do you mean… "found"?" he gave her an odd look.

Tifa giggled, "Yeah, I'm sure it sounds weird but…Cloud was away for a long time and I only met him again a few years ago, he was really sick when I found him so I brought him here with me to take care of him," she bit her lip in thought, "I guess you could say I found him again after so long,"

Denzel nodded slowly, brows furrowed, "Oh," his mumbled reply made Tifa lean down to his level.

"Anymore questions? Like I said, you can ask, it's okay," she gave him another warm smile and Denzel's own lips pulled up in a tiny smile back.

"No, I don't think I have any more," that was a lie, but he didn't want to make the kind woman uncomfortable, not after all the trouble he put them through.

He glanced out at the door again.

While they were lovingly taking care of him, he wasn't sure why he was still here. After all, nobody wanted stray dogs from the streets, more so when the threat of Geostigma circled Edge like the plague.

"Um…when can I go again?" he looked up at the woman and she glanced down at him in surprise and confusion.

She tilted her head, "Go…where?"

Denzel shrugged, that same empty feeling returning in him again, "On the streets,"

Tifa felt a pang of hurt hit her and she kneeled on one knee and placed both of her hands on the thin boy's shoulders, making him look at her in surprise, his body freezing up, "Denzel, you aren't going back on the streets. You can stay here with us for as long as you want," she nodded firmly, seeing the insecurities swarming in the boy's eyes.

His gaze shot back to the pictures and the door, "But what about…Marlene and Cloud?" he didn't understand. Did they intend to keep him? To adopt him as their own?

Tifa smiled, "I'm sure Marlene doesn't mind having someone her age spending her time with, it can get a bit lonely here with both Cloud and I working," she winked, gently tapping his nose, "Cloud is the one that brought you here, I'm sure he doesn't have anything against it,"

Denzel blinked, shock filling him, then anger, "What? But…but you don't know me!" Tifa's eyes widened slightly in surprise, "I…I'm just a kid from the streets," Denzel's anger vanished as quickly as it had come, a sense of loneliness assaulting him again, "And…I don't want to replace them,"

Tifa had a good idea of whom Denzel was referring to by 'them', his deceased parents.

The barmaid carefully approached the child again, taking him into her arms, a small smile on her lips, memories of her own family flooding back to her, "Denzel…nobody is asking you to forget about them, to replace them. Of course, nobody can replace your parents, your real family, but…" she broke away slightly to look Denzel clearly in the eyes, eyes that were so innocent and yet looked like they've seen the horrors of the world thrust harshly upon them, "A family isn't connected by blood alone. A family can be a group of friends living together, or two friends with a child, or a father and a son, an orphaned boy and a lonely woman." She smiled at the pictures on the wall, "This is my family too, none of us are connected by blood, but we feel like a family all the same," she turned back to look at the boy, "We will never ask you to forget about them Denzel, but…just maybe, you can start anew and…have this family," she smiled again, her eyes open and warm.

Denzel's small body was shaking. He didn't know what to think, this woman wasn't telling him to forget his real parents, rather to remember them and still cherish them, but move on and…have a new family. A family with these three people whom he had just met. A sour feeling spread within Denzel's stomach, he wasn't sure if he could entirely trust them, but then again, they had saved him from certain death.

How could he _not_ trust those people?

With a small, hesitant smile, Denzel nodded.

A bright smile broke out on Tifa's lips and before she could say anything, Marlene rounded the bar of the bar counter, "Does this mean Denzel gets to stay?" she excitedly ran over to them and Tifa laughed, patting her head and resting her other hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, reassuringly.

Tifa nodded and watched the way Marlene bombarded Denzel with how they were going to share a room and play, how she wouldn't feel so lonely anymore with him here and how they were going to have a lot fun.

Tifa watched the small smile on Denzel's face, despite his reservations and she thought he looked… _happy_.

* * *

Fenrir's engine rumbled softly in the cool night air, slowly driving through alleyways towards Seventh Heaven.

The food Cloud had bought earlier remained undisturbed in Fenrir's compartment, due to the slow tempo Cloud had set. After rushing through deliveries all day and going from city to city and fighting off nosy monsters, he relished the change of pace and the tranquility that set over the night when most of Edge was sleeping.

Cloud quietly parked Fenrir into Seventh Heaven's garage once he got close, opening the compartment at the back and taking out the two full bags of groceries. Cloud noticed the light was still on in the bar and he sighed.

Despite already talking about it, Tifa always stayed up to greet him, no matter how late it got and sometimes, he wondered why she went through all the effort, with how busy she was during the day, finding the will and strength to stay awake so long to make sure he got home safe.

Home – a term Cloud had thought was a long lost dream since his departing to SOLDIER and the catastrophe in Nibelheim, turned to ashes like his mother and his childhood home had.

Shaking his head to will the dark memories away, Cloud unlocked the door, pushing through with the grocery bags.

Once his eyes had adjusted again to the light of the bar, Cloud spotted Tifa walking toward him with a smile, taking a bag from him while he locked the door.

"Hey, you're early," Tifa smiled but there was a playful edge to her tone and a small smirk grew on Cloud's lips, an expression he was sure he didn't do in a long time.

It was past Marlene's bedtime, well after ten o'clock, and Cloud couldn't help but shake his head, "Sorry, I ran into some trouble along the way,"

But Tifa shook her head as he followed her into the kitchen, as she always did, "Don't worry about it," he remained silent as they organized the groceries into their respective places, the fridge or storage room at the back. They moved over and beside each-other flawlessly, almost in sync and Cloud couldn't remember when they had developed that habit.

Tifa talked about her day, the usual morning rush and how she slowly got Denzel to open up about himself. And then, she told him about her decision, "I decided to adopt Denzel,"

Cloud stopped putting away the milk and closed the fridge, turning around to look at her, she continued when she met his gaze, "He's an orphan Cloud, he won't last long out in the streets," her hair partly obscured her face and her voice turned quiet, "Maybe he won't last long at all,"

A dull ache throbbed in Cloud's chest and the warrior gripped the wooden counter behind him, "Then I don't see why you're taking him in," Tifa's fierce eyes met his and he knew he was in for a challenge, "He's got the Stigma, whatever we do won't cure him, he may live a few days, weeks, maybe even months." His eyes hardened, "He's a kid that has Geostigma, just like every third kid does nowadays and most of them pass away on the streets,"

Tifa took a step forward, "Yeah, but I won't let Denzel be just a another kid who died the same way," she begged him to understand, not necessarily by words, but by her meaningful gaze and he turned away.

"If I hadn't found you that day," his fist clenched, "What would have happened to you Cloud? Don't you see? Denzel is in a similar situation, he doesn't have anyone. And when it most mattered you found him and brought him here,"

Cloud walked out of the kitchen and Tifa followed, "You told me to bring the kid in,"

Tifa wouldn't let him have any of that, "Yeah but I know you wouldn't have left him either way," she placed her hands on her hips, "Cloud, he needs someone who cares for him, who looks out for him. Even if our time together will be short, don't you think it's worth the happy memories we will have?"

Cloud didn't answer, he stood there with his back turned to her but then, after some time, he grabbed his sword leaning against the wall and walked upstairs, leaving Tifa alone in the bar.

* * *

Before Cloud could open the door to his room, he noticed the door to Marlene's room was open by a sliver and he thought he caught faint movement from inside.

Cloud's eyes narrowed, but after several seconds of staring into the door, he shook his head and walked into his room, closing the door shut softly behind him.

Denzel's breath caught in his throat, heart thumping wildly in his chest. He thought he was caught when Cloud looked at the door, but he didn't seem to have noticed him.

He nearly jumped out of his own skin when Marlene, the girl, placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't be afraid, Cloud won't do anything to hurt you," she smiled tiredly, before climbing back onto her bed.

Denzel remained silent, wishing her a good night before he slowly walked out of her room and into Tifa's, where the woman told him he could sleep in until they provided him a bed. He felt bad for taking away her bed, but she had insisted, and he vaguely remembered Cloud going into his office, he remembered seeing the bed there. Maybe they would share it until he got a bed.

* * *

Cloud listened to the soft, uncertain footsteps thudding on the floor, he knew it was the boy, they weren't Tifa's nor Marlene's footsteps.

He listened how the boy slowly made him way into Tifa's room to retire for the night and Cloud laid flat on his back, hands crossed behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

He didn't know what to think but Tifa's words echoed in his ears again.

 _Even if our time together will be short, don't you think it's worth the happy memories we will have?_

With a grunt, Cloud turned to his side and slept.

 **Thank you kindly for reading, I'm sorry it took so long to update!**


	3. A Different Routine

**A/N:** Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for taking so long to update but I finally found some inspiration to continue, thank you for waiting :)

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Different Routine**

Cloud's eyes slowly cracked open when the sun's rays shining through the gap between the curtains hit them.

He grunted and rolled on his back, rubbing away at the dry crust around his eyes until he could see clearly again.

The air was warm, stuffy, it smelled of old papers and leather and of something stale that always seemed to be present whenever Cloud stayed away for a longer while.

Tifa claimed it was because of the fresh air not getting in often enough but Cloud thought he knew better, it was because _he_ started staying away on longer deliveries, which offered a better payment. Sure, he still slept here, but he rarely ever stayed longer in his office like he used to, drawing pathways on his maps and dealing with paperwork.

Somehow, he had slowly stopped doing that as frequently. Somehow, Tifa had taken to handling the paperwork and it left a sour taste in Cloud's mouth.

While it was correct that the Strife Delivery Service was _theirs_ just how Seventh Heaven was also a part of their family business, it was _him_ that went on deliveries and putting his paperwork on top of the bar's responsibilities on Tifa was something Cloud thought he would have control over.

At least until now.

With a sigh, Cloud sat up, rubbing the back of his neck and rolling his stiff shoulders. It had been a while since he took a day or two off. Weekends have started becoming less days off and more normal delivery days, something Cloud appreciated for the extra Gil but loathed for the additional physical and mental burden it put on him...but if it meant supporting them, then it didn't feel so bad anymore at the end of the day.

Pulling the thin blanket off himself, Cloud stood up, silently making his bed before heading for the door, only to stop when his hand was already on the doorknob.

Cloud watched the darkened room, the dim darkness only disturbed by the few rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains.

Bright light suddenly bathed the office in color again, slightly faded, but there and Cloud noted his barren desk, save for paperwork and the telephone.

Perhaps a picture would add more color into it as well.

When Cloud stepped into the small hallway, he found the bathroom door was open, the lights on.

Cloud rose a brow, who could be awake now? Tifa usually woke up even sooner than him, she must be checking on the bar's supplies by now. Marlene couldn't be it either, she slept in until either Tifa or Cloud went to wake her up. It was far too soon to be up anyway. Cloud was sure the boy was sleeping as well.

Cloud's gaze narrowed and he quietly made his way toward the bathroom, body unconsciously preparing for a possible battle until his gaze settled on the figure in the bathroom once he reached the open doorway.

It was Tifa.

"Tifa?" confusion settled over him as he rose an eyebrow in question, realizing he hadn't checked the time. Was he the one that woke up too early?

The barmaid smiled but it seemed tired, she was still dressed in her night clothes and a comb was in her hand, "Good morning, you're up earlier than normal," she smiled again.

Cloud cleared his throat, slightly dismayed at the fact that his voice came out rough due to the slight dryness in his throat, "Yeah, I didn't check the time," and then, Cloud felt foolish, making a move to step out of the bathroom, "I'll wait downstairs until you're done,"

But before he could leave and maybe make coffee for them both, Tifa suddenly stopped him, "It's alright, you can stay, there's enough room for Marlene to come here and join us," Tifa beckoned Cloud to enter and the bathroom really was big enough to fit two adults and perhaps a child, but...

Ever since his younger days, Cloud had lacked any real father figure due to his father's absence. Ever since joining SOLDIER, his mother's presence in his life had been drastically reduced and after the Nibelheim incident completely removed, still Cloud's, however limited, knowledge of women made him think it was rude intruding upon her privacy like this, "I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable," his statement was followed by Tifa's amused laugh.

She shook her head, "SIlly, you're not making me feel uncomfortable. Now come on, you have to shave," absentmindedly running a hand over the curve of his jaw, Cloud found she was right. There was a slight stubble, a consequence of the past few stressful days being out on deliveries and neglecting other hygienic rituals other than a quick shower.

Entering the bathroom, Cloud stood beside Tifa, both facing the mirror and he noted their height difference, now that they stood side-by-side, it wasn't as big as Vincent and Yuffie's were, but he was still noticeably taller than Tifa. He noticed her attire, her nightwear, rarely ever seeing her in them.

Now that he thought about it, Tifa was always the last one to go to bed. Even when he was the one coming home from deliveries, Tifa would always wait up until he returned until she turned in for bed.

He tried not to stare, focusing on reaching for his razor and shaving foam on her side.

Their conversation from last night resurfaced in his mind as Cloud applied the foam onto his jaw, the motions more thoughtful than focused.

 _Even if our time together will be short, don't you think it's worth the happy memories we will have?_

Cloud's jaw tightened and he nearly nicked himself with the razor.

Tifa's voice, quiet to not wake Marlen- _the kids_ up, sounded in the small bathroom, "I'm... sorry about last night, I shouldn't have gotten angry like I did," Tifa paused in her hairbrushing, the strokes of the comb growing slower as she spoke, "You were right, there are a lot of children in Edge with Geostigma but..." the comb paused as did Tifa's speech.

Cloud wanted to say she shouldn't apologize, but he remained quiet and listened to her, waiting for her to finish.

After a few seconds, she continued, "...but Denzel is different, I know he is. There's... something familiar about him," Cloud sensed there were words she didn't want to say out loud and he wondered if he should pry or not.

He found himself too curious not to, "Familiar?" Cloud paused in his shaving, eyes looking down at Tifa.

She hesitated briefly, "He reminds me of you...I don't want to imagine what would happen had I not found you back then and I don't want to imagine what would happen to Denzel if we threw him out," despite her soft voice, Tifa's eyes were fierce, just like they had been last night.

Cloud stopped mid-shave, turning his head to look directly at Tifa, it was clear she wouldn't waver from her decision, but the same could be said for him.

Then, for a moment, her gaze softened, "Why are you so afraid to keep him Cloud?"

Cloud opened his mouth to retort, but before he could a soft, tired voice echoed in the bathroom, "Tifa? Cloud?" both adults turned around to look at who spoke.

It was Marlene.

Clearly tired, her eyes weren't fully open, had they woke her up?

 _"No matter what feelings Cloud and I have between us, we can't drag Marlene into it."_ Tifa thought and smiled, leaning down to be at eye-level with her, "Good morning sleepy head! You're up earlier than you have to be, you can still sleep Marlene, it's too early,"

Cloud remained silent, turning back toward the mirror, continuing to shave and Marlene looked between the two adults, "Are you sure you don't need help in the bar, TIfa?" Marlene rubbed at one of her eyes tiredly.

Tifa smiled and shook her head, "Don't worry, I've got Cloud with me, go to sleep Marlene," gently pushing the girl in the direction of her room.

Marlene looked back one last time at the adults before making her way towards her room, closing the door with a soft click behind her.

Tifa waited for a few seconds before she dared to speak, her voice low but more confident, "I know it will be tough for a while but..." she met Cloud's gaze in the mirror, "I don't want to add another sin to my burdens and so shouldn't you Cloud," with that, Tifa left the bathroom, leaving Cloud alone.

The swordsman paused, finally dropping the razor in the sink and when he looked in the mirror, he saw a truly terrifying sight.

Those familiar yet terrifying mako blue eyes, mixed with a sickly green and Zack's features instead of his own.

He blinked, trying to rid the image of his mind but a different image appeared.

It was Aerith.

Auburn locks, innocent, kind green eyes.

Blood dripping from her mouth.

Cloud shook his head violently, muttering a low curse and shutting his eyes tightly closed.

* * *

Hearing the soft curses, Denzel froze in fear, before slowly peeking behind the rim of the doorframe, spotting the adult with a hung down head and eyes tightly squeezed shut and Denzel wondered if he should ask if he was okay.

He didn't look okay at least.

He had been up in a while, a habit he had picked up after a while of living in the streets, scared to be assaulted at night.

He heard Tifa and Cloud in the bathroom, their talk and he found himself wondering why the man would be afraid, he certainly didn't look afraid of anything to him. So, why would possibly adopting him be so terrifying?

Denzel absentmindedly touched his forehead, where the black liquid had oozed from earlier. It was dry now, but had an odd texture to it, as if it was dried, soft liquid but unable to be rubbed away, at least that's what Denzel attempted to do last night before going to bed.

The washcloth had been smudged black, but it didn't remove the stain on his forehead.

But Denzel wasn't a fool, he knew why the man was against keeping him here.

He had that disease, he had Geostigma, that's why.

There was a possibility he could infect Marlene and Tifa too.

Denzel's fists clenched and he silently walked past the open bathroom, heading for downstairs.

He forgot Tifa would be down there.

She greeted him with a surprised, but pleasant smile, walking over to him and resting her hands on her knees to be at eye-level with him, "Good morning Denzel! Do you usually get up so early? You know, not even Marlene is awake yet, it's far too early for you to be awake yet," she grinned softly, such a contrast to her mood with Cloud in the bathroom.

Denzel frowned, adults were all the same. They all hid things from kids because they thought they didn't understand.

Denzel bit his lip, looking at his feet, "I...couldn't really sleep," he didn't plan on telling he heard a single word of their conversation.

Tifa assessed him carefully, eyes slanted in concern, "Would you like to eat or drink something? I can fix you a hot chocolate for breakfast and a sandwich," she offered ever so softly and with a painful tug in his heart, Denzel was reminded of his mother, how she used to cook him hot chocolate on special occasions.

Denzel squeezed his eyes shut tightly, the memories of his parents flooding his mind and making his head ache and pound, he tried placing his hands on his head to lessen the pain, but another pair of hands beat him to it.

Tifa gently rubbed at his messy tresses, soothingly running her cool friends across his heated skull, "Denzel, are you alright?" she kneeled down and held him steady with one hand on his shoulder while the other rubbed his head soothingly.

He panted, feeling his heart pound against his chest and the headache starting to lessen just slightly.

He exhaled long and hard and finally shook his head, "I...I'm fine," Tifa gently ran a hand up and down his back, it reminded him of his mother's touch and it calmed him down.

His mother...

Denzel's shot open and he roughly pushed Tifa away, scrambling to get away from her, "Leave me alone!"

"Denzel!" Tifa went to reach for the frightened boy but he kicked at her in rage, face a mask of pain and anger.

"You're not my mom! I shouldn't be here! Why won't you just let me die on the streets?!" finally, all his silent, pent up thoughts were released, "Why would you pick a random kid off the streets who's going to die soon anyway?!" tears started streaming down his face, along with a black liquid, "I'm not your son! You already have a daughter to take care of! My parents are dead but I don't want to kill a family just because I lost mine! I-I'm just gonna die alone anyway from this stupid Stigma so just-just leave me alone!" Denzel shakily stood up and raced off, prying the door open and fleeing outside.

Tifa made to dash after him, " _Denzel!_ " she was just a few steps from the door when a hand firmly pulled her back.

She nearly collided with a half-dressed Cloud, "Let me go, Cloud! Denzel just-!"

"Stay here," without another word, Cloud released her wrist and was out the door in seconds, the bell chime the only indicator he had left.

Tifa's mind was in a haze from Denzel's episode just now. Had she gone too far? Had Denzel gotten angry at her for trying to comfort him? He said she wasn't his mother...

Her fist quivered by her side in anger, angry at herself for being so helpless. She couldn't even help Cloud nor herself, how could she hope to begin even helping Denzel?

The barmaid didn't hear the soft footsteps stopping just shy of the stairs, Marlene gazing sadly at her back.

"Denzel..." she could only hope Cloud would find a way to comfort him, if that was his intention.

* * *

It wasn't every day that a half-dressed Cloud Strife rushed down the streets of Edge, arguably 'rushing' seemed a bit of an overstatement, more like brisk walking, still it elicited not only one pair of eyes to follow him.

Their neighbor, a young couple, waved at his passing figure, "Good morning early bird!" the man reluctantly lowered his hand, "Hey, wait, where's Cloud going...and why is he in a undershirt and...are those boxers?"

His wife blushed, clutching at her husband's arm tighter, "Did Tifa get mad? But he seems unharmed..." she fanned herself slightly, "Say, when's been the last time you worked out hm?" she poked her husband playfully in his chest, slightly soft muscle tissue.

He tugged at his shirt collar uncomfortably, "I could say the same about you," he gently, affectionately poked her growing, pregnant belly and they both giggled over their antics.

Focused mako eyes scanned the streets carefully, checking for each narrow alley way and asking a few passing people if they'd seen a small boy with brown hair run past.

Finally, an elder man directed him toward a small alley, Cloud thanked the man and was on his way, gazing down the narrow alley and waiting silently, listening.

He could hear faint sobbing coming from the back and he slowly made his way deeper, the mako in his body helping him navigate over bulky objects on the ground and thrown trashcans in the darkness.

And finally, he spotted Denzel's shape shivering on the ground.

When Cloud kneeled down at his level, the boy shied away, "Go _away_!" the boy cried, curling closer to the wall behind him, away from Cloud's touch.

Cloud frowned, moving his hand away, "Listen kid, you can't stay out here, it's going to rain soon, you'll catch a cold-"

Denzel turned, furious blue eyes boring holes in Cloud's skull, "Why do _you_ care anyway?! You're the one who doesn't want me there!" before Cloud could say anything, Denzel spoke again, "I heard your conversation with her in the bathroom! I'm not dumb alright? I...I-I know I have the Stigma and I'm gonna die soon and...you just don't want a dying brat under your roof...it's _fine_ ," Cloud frowned, watching how the black liquid oozed down the child's forehead and neck.

Gently, he rested a hand on his shoulder, he felt the boy was about to fight but he spoke first, "You heard our conversation, do you remember what Tifa said then?" Cloud positioned himself so he leaned against the wall next to Denzel, bending his legs so they fit through the narrow space.

Denzel's brows furrowed in concentration, recalling the conversation, "She...said something about you and me..."

Cloud nodded, despite the boy not being able to see him, "We're similar..." Cloud had to smile slightly, in hindsight, Cloud saw what she meant with that, "We were both picked off the streets, rescued of certain death," memories of Nibelheim coursed through his mind, then still-blurry images of Tifa, "Everyone has a past and it's their problem dealing with it," he could feel the boy shift beside him uncomfortably, "But...a family supports each-other, Geostigma or not,"

It was his fault to begin with, while it was true that it was a threat letting someone infected with it potentially infect Tifa and Marlene, it was wrong to reject a helpless child.

Denzel's quiet voice spoke softly, Cloud barely picked it up, "...You still hate me...you don't want me there,"

Cloud leaned his head back against the brick wall, seeing the first few droplets of rain falling around him, "I don't hate you kid," there was a bit more light and he could see the top of Denzel's head a bit clearer now, "...I was just..." Cloud sighed deeply, "...scared,"

He could see Denzel raise his head and look at him incredulously, "Scared? You? You look like _you_ scare people but _be_ scared? Yeah, right," he snorted in disbelief.

Cloud smirked, amused at the child's evaluation of him, "Everyone is afraid of something, including me," he glanced down at the boy, "All of us," he remembered Tifa's words, "It's alright to be afraid, but it's more important to overcome your fears,"

Denzel remained silent, pondering his words, "...What were you afraid of? Me?" he tilted his head in confusion, his previous bitterness slowly ebbing away.

Cloud shook his head, catching Denzel's gaze, raising a hand to wipe away the dark liquid smudging the child's face and Denzel understood.

It was Geostigma, not him.

Denzel shied away from his touch but Cloud gently, but firmly grabbed a hold of his shoulder, making the boy look up at him, "It's not you Denzel, understood?" slowly, the boy nodded. Cloud's gaze cleared, the blue in his eyes even brighter than before.

It was the first time Cloud had called him by name, not 'kid'.

Cloud slowly stood, reaching a hand toward Denzel, "Let's go home Denzel," Cloud offered him a small smile, his hand still outstretched.

The rain was faint around them, but their clothes started getting soaked, slowly but surely.

Denzel stared at his hand, then at his face for a few tense seconds.

His heart still ached with the loss of his family but...

Denzel grabbed the man's larger, warmer hand and allowed himself to effortlessly be pulled upwards.

Slowly, Denzel nodded, "Yeah...let's go home," he smiled, it was small but it was a start.

Cloud nodded and they both exited the alley, walking back toward the bar.

Denzel briefly looked up at him, this man, that had brought him away from death's clutches and was now bringing him back home.

Home.

It sounded nice, saying it again, even if it would take some time getting used to it. To everything.

Denzel's small hand clutched Cloud's tighter and the swordsman faltered, looking down at the boy before staring straight ahead again.

In just a few minutes, they arrived back at the bar and Tifa immediately rushed toward Denzel, cautiously kneeling down to look at him, "You're alright, thank goodness,"

Denzel stiffened, avoiding looking her in the eye, "I...I'm sorry...for earlier," he clutched at his pants leg tightly before a soft hand touched his own.

Tifa's soft smile greeted him, "Hey, it's alright. You have a right to speak your mind," she gently rubbed his shoulders, the warmth seeping into him, "Whenever you feel uncomfortable or need to talk, you can to any of us,"

Denzel looked up at Cloud and the man nodded in agreement.

He smiled and nodded, "Yeah..."

And then, a weight barreled into him from behind, " _Denzel!_ "

"Woah!" Denzel tumbled to the ground, narrowly evading falling onto Tifa as Marlene bombarded him with questions.

"What were you thinking?! Of course we want you here silly! Why would you run out so suddenly? Tifa got upset! I got upset too!" as Marlene continued fretting over Denzel, Tifa turned toward Cloud, handing him a towel.

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled quietly, watching how he ran the towel through his hair.

Cloud adjusted the towel so he was looking at her, "Don't apologize. I was wrong,"

Tifa placed a hand on his arm, "We both were," Cloud paused, looking at her.

Then Marlene nearly bumped into their legs, "Oh sorry!" before she raced upstairs, possibly to fetch Denzel a towel.

Tifa went into action too, "Come on you two, you'll catch a cold," she directed them both upstairs.

Cloud and Denzel shared a look before succumbing to the woman's orders and following her upstairs.

 **Thank you for reading!**


End file.
